Where Credit is Due...

As many of you know via griping and stressing in my reviews and messages I am a student at Camosun College in Victoria, BC. This semester I have had the privilege of participating in a brilliant class: ‘Service Learning and Global Issues’. Instead of reading about endless theories, making notes and taking exams the course puts its reputation where its mouth is from the get go: students pair up as volunteers with NGOs or charities and test the theory practically. Do they work, yes or no? If not, why not? Real world experience applied at the same time as academia.

We are approaching final project time. Many of the groups within our class are holding auctions and raffles. The NGO I am working with is Africa Calling. We gather obsolete mobile phones, wipe them of information, ensure they are fully functioning and ship them to Africa where governments (recognizing the lack of funds to establish land lines to remote communities) have made the mobile service free! We provide the phones, the government provides the service…. The ingenuity of what people do with our Old Mobile Phones blows my mind. Truly inspiring.

In any case, I am at risk of getting lost to my awe of African brilliance and innovation, thus I must get to the heart of this post! On Wednesday March 19th (this coming) from 9-2 the 9th annual Sustainability Day Fair is being held at the Camosun Landsdown campus. Free food, lots of entertainment, innumerable vendors… if you’re an Islander I encourage you to stop by and visit!

Steepsters, what is more sustainable than tea? It makes us feel good, it’s good for us, as liquid it makes our plants happy, the used leaves turned into the garden improve the soil… I could go on, but I would be interrupting the making of your own lists!

With immense respect and serious reverence I inquired whether certain tea vendors might be willing to participate… Stacy at Butiki and Elyse at Tealet both said ‘absolutely’. Once the tea arrived it became very serious business, because it is stashed in MY den and I can’t touch it!

Stacy and Elyse, Service Learning and Global Issues (SOSC 203) thanks you most sincerely for your generous donations. The presence of your particular items have already excited people to mark the fair down on their calendars. A Stokes store local to me (who are huge fans of yours) wanted very much to make sure your teas were turned out in proper style and have donated a beautiful cast iron tea pot and matching tea ware set.

I should also mention a surprising number of Steepsters are also professional donors for the Sustainability Fair. Thanks to each of you for your support.

the idea is truly ingenious. i have worked very hard for them for this semester and found an astounding passion within my community for the project: no one has money, but many have old phones. it makes people feel like they can help, and they genuinely are!

the pics are just starting to make it out onto FB. keep your eyes peeled. even more will go out after the event =0)